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Senator Saland Demanded Fire Company Promotional Signs for Reelection

by: DiamondStreet

Fri Oct 29, 2010 at 14:14:20 PM EDT

Administrator's note. I have posted the linked photo to this diary

Senator Stephen Saland made demands that Fire Companies thank him on outdoor signs leading up to Election Day, as pay back for grants received.

The complaint has been signed by Victor Mendolia and Lloyd Hamilton.

Victor Mendolia is Chair of the Hudson City Democratic Committee. Mr. Mendolia came into possession of a letter from the Office of Fire Coordinator for Columbia County which stated that he was contacted by Senator Saland to request that the firehouses in Columbia County post a message on their outside signs indicating their support of Senator Saland in the upcoming election. The letter, dated Oct 11, 2010 on official county stationary, requested that a sign be posted in appreciation of Senator Saland's years of awarding them "grants and monies".
View the entire letter here: http://goo.gl/BqWJ

Lloyd Hamilton is a volunteer firefighter with the Hillside Fire Department in Dutchess County. When the Hillside Fire Department posted "Firefighters for Saland" outside the Hillside Firehouse. Mr. Hamilton objected to the use of the sign, feeling that it was improper to use tax-payer owned property to support any candidate to the company President and Chief. He was told that it was done because the company received grants from Senator Saland and that this was "payback" for those grants. In 2008-2009 the Fire District received $25,000 in appropriations from Senator Saland.

DiamondStreet :: Senator Saland Demanded Fire Company Promotional Signs for Reelection

View photos here: http://goo.gl/9Lpo

The complaint by Mr. Mendolia and Mr. Hamilton states "In requesting that (fire companies) display signs bearing his name in appreciation for his years of support of grants, Senator Saland has used his official position to secure unwarranted privileges for himself, raised suspicion that he engaged in acts that violate his trust and has created a reasonable basis for improper influence.

Read the full complaint here: http://goo.gl/kNvQ

The complaint has also been sent to the Columbia and Dutchess County Attorneys for further investigation.

Read More NY Daily News
http://goo.gl/wFwd

Tags: State Senate, SD 41, Quid Pro Quo, Complaint, ethics, Stephen Saland, Steve Saland, Senator, (All Tags)

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Senator Saland Demanded Fire Company Promotional Signs for Reelection | 10 comments

Glad to see the D's raising hell about this.... (4.00 / 5)

Republican State Senator Steve Saland has always pressured the local fire companies to post a big sign out front of their facilities, supporting him and thanking him for the grants that he secures on their behalf. It's the old "I'm bringing home the bacon" schtick, and this time local Democrats are raising hell about it. Every year, at election time, the Livingston firehouse on Route 9 has a big magnetic sign out front paying homage to Saland.

by: global yokel @ Fri Oct 29, 2010 at 20:00:55 PM UTC

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This is nothing new for Saland.... (4.00 / 5)

This is nothing new for Senator Saland...and I would speculate other Senators who are addicted to Member Items as Re-election Insurance.

When I ran against Senator Saland in 2006, during the last three weeks of the campaign, these signs sprang up at firehouses and libraries all over the district...timed in such a way that it screamed coordination. The signs should read, "Thank you, New York Taxpayers" because the money for the new trucks and roofs and firehouses came from the state budget...the very same budget that Senator Saland and others say they want to cut...in their taxpayer-funded mailings.

It's about time this is brought to light. It's all part of the problem that is Albany and yet another reason to replace Senator Saland...along with many other Senators who do the same thing.

We've got some work ahead of us.

by: NYBri @ Fri Oct 29, 2010 at 20:10:13 PM UTC

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Saland has to go (4.00 / 3)

This is the most cynical form of campaigning by Saland, and not just because of what the Complaint outlines. It's cynical because SALAND CAMPAIGNS AGAINST this sort of pork barrel spending. He rails against money being spent by Albany indiscriminately, yet he's the first to show up when the cameras are rolling as he hands out a check.

But that's not all. It's not just that he's campaigning against what he actually does for a living. Nope it's much worse. The worst part is that he's really bad at it. When you compare senate districts, SALAND DOESN'T BRING HOME THE BACON. He actually brings home less than other state senators.Check it out:
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/ar...

This year, let's please get rid of a big part of Albany's dysfunction: let's get rid of Steve Saland.

by: Hudson Dan @ Fri Oct 29, 2010 at 21:14:21 PM UTC

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Saland's likely spin (4.00 / 1)

In all likelihood, Saland will open his GOP playbook and attempt to turn this around on his accusers-"How dare they impugn the integrity of the hardworking firefighters who risk their lives on our behalf?" The next move is to demand an apology.

His goal will be to deflect from his own actions, and try to muddy the issue by suggesting that Democrats were attacking firefighters, which they plainly are not. Indeed, one of the people signing the complaint is a 25-year veteran of a Dutchess fire company.

But facts like that rarely get in the way of Republicans on the defensive.

The other possibility is that he'll try to ignore it for the remainder of the campaign, hoping that if he doesn't give this too much energy, fewer people will hear about it.

by: Hudson @ Sat Oct 30, 2010 at 02:34:36 AM UTC

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Absolutely incredible & disgusting (4.00 / 2)

Aside from the obvious illegal quid pro quo demand from the Senator for member items given, this is especially disturbing since these taxpayer funded firehouses are probably used as polling places too. Doesn't this also fall within the purview of AG Cuomo's promised policing of member item funds being solely for public purposes? If so, shouldn't the complaint letter be forwarded to the AG too? Member items aren't supposed to be funding campaign signs.

by: teaparty2 @ Sat Oct 30, 2010 at 05:15:17 AM UTC

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Attorney General (0.00 / 0)

That is an excellent idea @teaparty2. I'll make sure the AG gets the compliant as well.

by: DiamondStreet @ Sat Oct 30, 2010 at 19:08:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Saland's denial (0.00 / 0)

So Saland has issued an outraged denial, in spite of the hard evidence contained in the letter from a top Columbia County emergency management official... Deny, deny, deny is his strategy, hoping this won't catch fire before Tuesday. The press, with the exception of the NY Daily News, hasn't done a particularly good job of covering the story so far.

by: Hudson @ Sat Oct 30, 2010 at 23:42:10 PM UTC

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did my fire company take the money or not? (0.00 / 0)

Stuyvesant is my town. I didn't see a sign, so hopefully now.

by: glencadia @ Sun Oct 31, 2010 at 07:17:12 AM UTC

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Do Senate and Assembly districts get re-apportioned (0.00 / 0)

at the same time as Congressional Seats? If we can pick up 2-3 Senate seats, with control in the Senate and Assembly and a Democrat Governor, we should be able to redistrict hacks like Saland out of his district.

HylasBrook

by: HylasBrook @ Mon Nov 01, 2010 at 02:37:31 AM UTC

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Yes they all get reapportioned at the same time... (0.00 / 0)

... which is why there is so much at stake this Tuesday.

by: teaparty2 @ Mon Nov 01, 2010 at 02:42:25 AM UTC

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